As Liliane parked her car in front of her father's house, she almost instinctively turned to her passenger to tell them they were "here." She quickly thought better of it though. He would undoubtedly have some snarky remark for her if she did. So, she simply silently turned off the car and stepped out, adjusting her dark blue skirt as she did.
She joined him on the sidewalk, and together they walked to an iron gate that stood in front of a large, old, yet well-maintained manor home. As they reached the solid oak door, she banged the knocker loudly. After only a moment, the door was answered by a middle-aged looking woman.
"Dr. Beilschmidt. And this must be the guest I was told was coming today. A...Mr. Beilschmidt." She eyed him curiously for a few seconds before gesturing them inside. "Come, come. He is expecting you both in the library."
Once inside, Liliane took the lead and walked toward the library. She didn't hurry, as she was sure Gilbert might want to observe the halls around them. Most things were old and/or expensive, but functional. They spoke of a man who had no time for frivolities, but who still enjoyed the luxuries he had earned in life. No Ikea furniture would dare to step foot in this house.
When they reached the closed door, she knocked. She heard the voice from within answer, "Enter." She opened the door and let Gilbert in, closing the door behind him. The room inside was huge, and the walls were old, sturdy shelves filled with tomes from carefully maintained ancient texts to modern day books on medicine and horse husbandry. Everything had its carefully chosen place.
In the center of the room were some armchairs, each with a small table beside it, perfect for placing a brandy on whilst spending hours in a book. And standing among the chairs was her father, Herr Beilschmidt. He stood tall and proud, one hand resting on the heavy head of his cane, and the other behind his back, as though he were posing for an oil portrait. His crimson eyes observed every movement the two of them made as they approached.
When they were close enough, Liliane stepped forward and gestured to Gilbert. "Sir, this is Herr Beilschmidt, the man you wished to meet."
"I am aware, child," he said, not annoyed, but simply stating a fact. "Pour us some brandy."
"Yes, sir." She walked over to a cabinet in the corner to prepare the drinks.
Meanwhile, he walked up to this other Prussian, continuing to observe him. When he was close enough, he held out his hand to give him a firm shake.
When Ludwig knocked on the great estate door, it was not long before it was opened. He was not greeted by the master of the house, however, but by the housekeeper. An austere, middle-aged woman looked him straight in the eyes. Her hair was in a tight bun, and her dress was as pressed as a military uniform. For the brief seconds in which neither spoke, she seemed to be assessing if he was worthy to enter the grand house.
"Dr. Dr. Beilschmidt, I presume?" she said, though it wasn't a question. Of course she knew. She stood aside to let him in, taking his coat once he had taken it off, and hung it neatly in the closet with the others.
"They are in the living room. Follow me." With proud strides, she led him through the house, past closed doors, and towards an open area. Two voices could be heard conversing, though what they were saying was unclear. As Frau Wagner entered the living room, the voices ceased.
"Dr. Dr. Beilschmidt is here," she announced, standing to the side so Ludwig could enter. When he did, he would see two familiar faces looking at him, one smiling excitedly, though nervously too, and the other in a perpetual frown.
Liliane sat perched on the edge of the couch. She wore a long, deep blue skirt, a cream blouse, and a silvery cardigan over it. Her hair was simple, with a silver headband that held diamonds and sapphires. Her earrings and necklace matched. She rose to greet the guest.
"Ludwig! It's so nice that you're here now." She walked over to him and took his hand, leading him around the couch towards where her father sat in his armchair. She quickly dropped Ludwig's hand as they approached the Prussian. "Ludwig, you remember my father. Papa, you remember Ludwig." She smiled nervously at her father. "It's good that he's here now, yes?"
Prussia's eyes narrowed as he observed Ludwig's every manner and movement, as though looking for a twitch that would betray some ill-intentioned thought or nefarious plot. Then, he rose from his chair, smoothing out the creases on his dark blue suit, and walked over to Ludwig. He kept staring him in the eye, daring him to say or do something stupid. But then, he held out his hand to the German.
"Welcome, to my home," he said stiffly. As soon as they let go, he slipped his arm over Liliane's shoulders, subtly, but possessively, drawing her closer to him. He seemed to debate something in his mind for a moment, and then he said, "Would you like anything to drink?"
A/N: This story takes place immediately after the events of my recent rp with the wonderful @mephistosfaust For full context, I highly recommend reading that first. The starter for it can be found here. A quick summary: My Prussia invited her Prussia over for lunch, with Lily to observe them. Two big dicks enter, words are exchanged, and one leaves in a body bag. Seriously, read the full rp for a fun experience. Other than that, please enjoy! (Read more is for length only.)
—
Evening was beginning to set in when Liliane and Frau Wagner returned to Prussia’s home after their job. It was summer, though, so the evening would be long and night was not yet present. Frau Wagner went in on her own, as Liliane sat in the driver’s seat, hesitating over sending Ludwig a message. When she finally did, she felt her gut clench. What was going to happen now? She had never imagined these events unfolding like this. But ever since Ludwig and her father had met, turbulence just kept following her around. Was she about to lose so much of what she held dear?
She sighed and stepped out of the car. It was time to see just what her father was going to say. Was he going to ban her from going to the other world? Or could he think of some worse punishment? She had not been the one to kill the other Prussia today. She wasn’t even the one who invited him here! But somehow, in some way, this was her fault.
She walked into the house without knocking. She was already expected after all. Frau Wagner walked up. She had already cleaned herself off, and was holding a first aid kit out to her. “He’s in his library,” she said, “but you should clean yourself up first. Do you need any assistance?”
Liliane took the first aid kit. “No, but thank you. I’ll take care of it. Thank you, for all your help.”
The other woman smiled, which was rare for her. “It’s my pleasure.”
With that, Liliane left her and walked into the nearest bathroom. She took a look at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t too bad off. Some bruises that would swell, sure, and some scrapes. But she’d been through far worse. She unbuttoned her shirt to look at her torso. Same story. She washed the blood off and put bandages on the few open wounds she still had. When she was all put together again, she took a pain killer. She looked at herself in the mirror, sighed, and then left. She placed the first aid kit on the nearest hallway table, and then made her way to the library.
The door was open, so she entered without knocking. But, instinct told her to close the door behind her. He usually preferred to have his talks with her in absolute privacy. She walked further into the dimly lit room and found him sitting on the couch by the big windows, a Prussian history book in one hand, and a glass of brandy in the other. She stood silently, awaiting her orders.
“Sit down,” he said without glancing up from the book. She complied, sitting next to him on the couch. They sat in silence for two minutes as he finished reading the chapter he was on. When he had, he slowly closed the book and then set it on the table beside him. He swirled the liquor in his glass and then sipped from it. Without turning to look at her, he said, “So. Today ended in a disaster.”
“Sir, I–”
She was cut off as he held up his hand.
“Do not be so fearful, child. I do not blame you.”
“You…you don’t?”
“No,” he said. He took another sip. He stared at the amber liquid, and then set the glass down by the book on the table. He turned towards her and met her eyes. “I blame myself.”
Liliane blinked. Her eyebrows rose and her eyes widened. She was too afraid to respond.
Her look of surprise made the corner of his lip twitch up, though only for a second. “Yes, I know. It is not often that I am at fault. Rare, even. But, like any good general, I must face the fact when I have faltered. I am, after all, the one who invited him here today, despite your warnings.”
She stared at him. For him to make this kind of admission, and to her no less, was nothing short of a miracle. “Sir, it’s…I mean…I’m the one who punched him first. I’m the one who went up to him and provoked him more, even when I knew his nature. I knew he’s a wicked snake who twists words and thoughts just to get a rise out of others. If you wish to blame me, I would understand.”
A seldom seen gentle smile came to his face. There was no hostility or cunning plan hidden behind it. He reached over to hold her chin softly. “Sweet child. You do not need to take the blame for this one. I have already admitted to it. I brought him here. I kept you with us. And I am the one who dealt the final blow. I am perfectly capable of shouldering this blame. Or do you think me too old and frail for that?” he asked, his voice darkening towards the end.
“No. No, of course not. Never.”
“Good. Then do not try to blame yourself further for it.” He let go of her chin as she nodded. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his grey hair. “So, as I said, today was a disaster. But, it is not the end of the world. Or, worlds, I suppose I should say.” He propped his head onto his hand, his elbow set into the arm of the couch. “The question before us is, what next? I presume you took care of the body and its things like I told you to?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Hmm. Good. But that won’t hold him down forever. If he’s anything like me in more than looks, and I hate to make that comparison, then he will be up and about within the hour now. And will likely want revenge.”
He looked at the girl from the side of his eyes and saw her worried look. He raised his head and turned it to look at her more fully. “I suppose this does put a damper on our plans.”
She frowned. “Our plans?”
“Yes. Your plans to keep going to that world, and my plans to have you report back on it.” As her eyes grew larger, he continued. “I planned on having you report to me everything you did or learned about in that world. I want to know exactly what we’re dealing with from now on. But, that might have to change. The little weasel is bound to tell his brutish Doberman all about the events of today. Quite frankly, I will be surprised if you are welcome back.”
Liliane looked crestfallen. She looked down at her hands fidgeting in her lap. It was one thing to have that fear by itself, but to have her father voice it out loud too? It was starting to manifest into reality. She covered her face with both hands and started to breathe heavily.
“Liliane. Look at me.”
She lowered her hands and turned her face towards him. She was still hyperventilating. He blinked once, looking at her cooly. She tried to hold her breath to slow down her breathing. She clenched her fists tightly. “I–I’m sorry, sir, I…” She kept panting, finding it hard to keep eye contact with him.
Prussia kept staring. After a minute, he stood up and walked over to his liquor cabinet. He fixed a glass of whiskey and returned. After he sat down, he held it out to her. “Drink,” he ordered.
She stared, then nodded, then took the glass. She focused on getting her breathing under control. Finally, she downed the whole glass and put it aside on the table by her.
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s not cheap, child,” he said, although there was no edge to his voice. He simply stated it, like one would state a scientific fact.
“I understand. I’m sorry.”
“Hmm. Well, at least you’re not panicking anymore, right?”
She hesitated, then nodded.
“Good. Now, I think we’ve discovered the truth you’ve been hiding. You really are in love with that Germany.”
She looked at him in fear.
He shook his head. “I’m not going to reprimand you. I am simply stating the facts. How long have you been in love? Or, how long have you been denying those feelings to yourself and everyone around you?”
She swallowed, wishing she hadn’t finished the whiskey so quickly. “I’m not sure how long I’ve loved him,” she said, her voice as tense as her body, “because I’ve been trying to suppress it for so long. I keep trying to tell myself it’s platonic, or maybe familial at most. But, I…I…” She shook her head. “I think I want him more than that. But it will never happen. I know he doesn’t see me that way. He looks at me and sees a cousin, or a sister, and never someone to be intimate with.”
Prussia’s lip twitched. “I wouldn’t give up hope there then. Considering his fraternal tastes in lovers, perhaps being seen as a sister will get you there.” When she didn’t respond, he sighed. “You should consider this a blessing, my dear. What hurts now will save you a great deal more pain in the future. After all, even if he did love you back, he would still betray you.” When she looked back at him, he shrugged. He picked up his glass to sip from it again, then kept talking. “You know it to be true. From the sounds of it, he only has eyes for his brother in the end. And, it’s in his nature to betray those closest to him. Think about his history, child. Think about everything he’s done. He serves only himself. Do you think he killed me to save you? Hardly. He did it for his own ego. To try to ‘own’ me, and by extension, you. He would kill you the moment it served him to.”
She looked at the palms of her hands. He could see the gears turning in her head, the doubts beginning to grow and wrap themselves around her feelings, like a python around a mouse. “It’s just, lately, he’s been so kind. He’s listened to me, and taken care of me.”
When she wasn’t looking, he rolled his eyes. “My dear, look at me.” When she did, he said, “It’s a lie. I’m not saying he’s purposefully deceiving you right now. He may not even know he’s doing it. But in the end, he will betray you. Everyone does. Everyone has. Except me. I’m the only one who has never betrayed you. From the day I took you in, I have cared for you as my daughter. I have raised you, given you a home, an education. I watch over you, even to this day. Whether you’ve fallen or risen to great heights, I have always been here for you.” He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Trust in me. You know it to be true.”
She glanced at his hand and then looked back into his eyes. She lowered her hands into her lap calmly. “May I ask a question, sir?”
He nodded.
“When…when that bastard asked you if you would sacrifice me to save yourself, and you said no, did you mean it? Was that the truth?”
He tilted his head to the side. He stared right into her eyes, and she held his gaze. A thought stirred in his mind. Is there anything so undoing… He closed his eyes for a few seconds and then looked at her again.
“You have the ability to detect lies. Did you detect a lie in what I said?”
“No.”
“So, why do you ask?”
“I guess I just…wanted to be sure. I wanted to hear you say it to me, not to him.”
He took a deep breath in through his nose, held it, and then let it go slowly out of his mouth. She wouldn’t stop looking at him, wouldn’t stop pleading with him. He half considered telling her to drop the topic entirely. It wasn’t as though this sort of situation would really happen. But, no, it was crucial that she know the truth.
“I meant what I said, Liliane. I would not sacrifice you to save myself. You,” he stopped to clear his throat, “are my loyal daughter. And I will honor that, always.”
Her nose twitched. He knew she was sniffing the air for a lie. When she didn’t find one, she began to smile. And then, she did something that caught him completely off guard. She leaned in, wrapped an arm across his chest, and pressed her face into his shoulder. She was hugging him.
He blinked several times and swallowed. He looked down at her. His chest felt tight and he was hyperaware of every inch of her that was touching him. He had to steady his hand to stroke the back of her hair. After he had done that for a minute, he cleared his throat and gently pried her off by her shoulders. He could see wetness in her eyes, but she was still smiling.
“Pardon me, sir,” she said, “I couldn’t help it. I’m just…so, so happy that you’re my father. I’m honored to have a man like you to call…call my…my dad.”
That word. That little, informal word. It made his chest feel tight again. Dad. It was so much more familiar than “father.” He had to cough and look away. When he turned back, she was still staring at him, smiling, though looking a little confused and concerned too.
“Dad?”
She’d said it again. Was she trying to stab him to death with this word? He shifted in his seat. “I’m fine,” he lied, and he knew she’d smelled it. Before she could ask, he spoke again. He forced himself to sound authoritative and calm like he normally did. “If you’re going to hug me, you ought to ask first.”
“Okay. I’m sorry.”
He shook his head and waved it off. “And save it for out of the public’s eye, understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
He frowned in thought. He grumbled with himself. Then, the old Prussian said, “I suppose you may call me, ‘Dad,’ if you really wish though.” He sighed loudly and looked at her sharply. “But never call me ‘Daddy.’ Understand?”
“Yes…Dad,” she said with a huge grin on her face. “May I hug you again?”
He huffed and looked weary. It was moments like this that brought out his age more. He then opened his arms, his palms up. “Very well. But only–” He stopped short when there was a soft impact on his chest. He looked down at his daughter as she embraced him once again and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. He looked uncomfortable again, but he settled for resting one arm on her, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair absentmindedly. With his free hand, he picked up his glass. He swirled the last bit of brandy around and held it up to his mouth. He breathed in its scent through his nose. Finally, he finished it off.
As he set the empty glass down, he looked down at her again. He had the thought of telling her to get off now, but he found himself growing used to her weight against him. He supposed that maybe, just for this night, he could tolerate it a bit longer.
A/N: I wanted to write a cute story about Lily's 80th birthday, so here, enjoy. Carolina belongs to @mephistosfaust so thank you to her for letting me write her! Read more is for length only.
As Lily wove herself around the guests at her and Alex’s 80th birthday party, her expert espionage eyes scanned the room. She wasn’t on a mission tonight, of course, nor did she expect any danger. She was simply trying to find someone.
There! She felt her heart leap as she spotted a broad-shouldered blond man from the back. She made a bee-line for him. As soon as she reached him, she touched his elbow. “Ludwig? I thought you weren’t coming.”
The man turned around with a confused look on his mustached face. Lily felt a crushing and embarrassing let down. “Oh, sorry, Max. I thought you were someone else.”
He shrugged. “No worries. Happy birthday, by the way.”
“Thanks.” She watched him turn and walk away to find a table and food. And suddenly, she felt alone in the crowded room. That is, until a familiar voice broke through her clouded thoughts.
“Well, well. You look more the princess than I do tonight,” said a voice from behind.
Lily looked up, smiled, and turned around. “Caro,” she said. She was overjoyed to see the Berlin from the other world approaching her, looking hot in a dark red dress and gold jewelry. Her heels were black, but Lily knew they undoubtedly had a red sole underneath. Her ensemble was like the perfect compliment to Lily’s own dark green and silver one.
Lily wrapped her arms around Carolina’s shoulders, and Carolina wrapped hers around Lily’s waist. They kissed each other sweetly on the lips. When they pulled away, Caro gave the other Berliner a raised eyebrow.
“You know he’s not coming, right? He doesn’t want to get involved with anything.”
Lily’s smile fell and she looked down. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. I just thought, maybe, just maybe, he would have changed his mind at the last minute.”
Caro shook her head. “He’s not the sort. You and I both know it.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“So, why are you spending your big evening moping around about some big, dumb, blond man? A city only turns eighty once.”
Lily bit her lip and glanced up at her sort-of-girlfriend, and then away again. “I don’t know. He just means a lot to me now. Or, well, having him show up would have meant a lot.” As she looked around the room, she saw her father talking to some other guests. As though on cue, he turned his head and looked straight at her. She blinked and looked away quickly. “But I know, you’re right. It wouldn’t have been a good fit for him here, I guess.”
Caro looked at her, then looked in the direction of Lily’s father, then back to her again. “So, do you want to spend your birthday party talking about big, dumb blonds and your daddy issues? Or do you want to go dance?”
Lily blushed a light pink. She quickly reached down to grab Carolina’s hand. “Let’s go dance.”
Caro grinned. “Right choice. And maybe after this is all done, we can go back to your place, and I’ll make sure you have no chance of thinking about men for the rest of the night.”
Lily grinned at the thought and squeezed her hand. “I like the sound of that, Prinzessin,” she said as she pulled her onto the dance floor. As soon as they reached it, they held each other close and moved along to the music. After at least half an hour of intense, sweaty movement, they decided to break for the bar.
After they had their beers in hand, the two women leaned against the bar. Caro eyed her companion up and down. “You know, you don’t dance too poorly for an eighty year old.”
Lily smirked and sipped from her beer. “And you don’t look half bad for a, what? Seven hundred year old?”
Caro shrugged with a smirk of her own. “Give or take a few, sure.” She also took a sip of the beer. “Wow, you guys didn’t hold back on this did you? You actually got some good stuff.”
“Well, it’s like you said. We don’t turn eighty every year. Just wait another twenty, and we’ll see what we do for one hundred. I’m thinking at least a fireworks show to rival New Year’s.”
“Ha. Careful now. You’ll tempt Bavaria into strangling you with a line of sausages if they hear the budget needed for that.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
They both laughed and clinked their bottles together before drinking from them.
Caro looked over Lily as she brought her beer down and raised a brow. “Looks like someone’s coming to see us.”
Lily turned curiously. Her eyes widened. Her father was coming straight for them. He didn’t look angry at least, but he was clearly on a mission. She swiftly turned back to Carolina. “Caro, if you don’t want to meet him…I totally understand if you want to ditch and run,” she said in a hushed voice.
Carolina frowned. “Nonsense. I’m here for a good time, and he’s not going to ruin that. Besides, not like he’ll do anything with all these people around. And I want to meet this other Prussia of yours. See what he’s all about.”
Lily sighed, but knew there was no point in arguing it. They were both stubborn creatures.
The back of her neck tingled as she felt her father staring at her the closer he came. But she didn’t turn around until he spoke her name.
“Liliane.”
She looked back at him, forcing a smile. “Hello, sir. I’m so glad you’re here. Are you enjoying yourself?”
He raised an eyebrow and turned away from her. He ordered a whiskey from the bartender. Once he had it in hand, he finally spoke again. “I find the music wanting, but the food and drinks have been sufficient.” He sipped from his glass, his eyes never leaving hers. “But, I wouldn’t miss this. It’s not every day you have a daughter turning eighty.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, her smile becoming more natural now.
He nodded in Carolina’s direction. “Well? Are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend here? I saw you kissing earlier,” he added, in answer to the questioning look in her eyes.
“Yes, of course. This is Carolina. Carolina, this is Herr Beilschmidt, my father.”
He held out his hand and they shook. His eyes narrowed as he studied her. She tilted her head up and to the side as he stared at her.
“Is something the matter?” she asked.
“You’re not human, are you?” he said. “You’re one of us.”
She grinned. “How observant of you. Yes, I’m Berlin. The Berlin from the other world, that is. The one whose Germany did a number on you, from what I’m told.”
Lily took a gulp from her beer and looked away.
Herr Beilschmidt’s eyes narrowed more. “Indeed.” He then turned to his daughter. “Come with me, child.”
Lily looked apologetically at Caro, but then nodded to her father. Setting the half empty bottle on the bar counter, she followed him. He led her out of the hotel ballroom, out through the lobby, and out of the doors into the warm July night. He stopped when they reached his car.
“I’ve had my fill of party music and sycophantic politicians. And your brother seems to be on the verge of making an ass of himself to spite me.”
“He is?”
“I saw him practically slobbering on three different people in the span of a minute. And his tie is undone.”
“Ah. I see.”
“So, I’m going home. But I wished to speak to you first.”
“Yes, sir?”
“First of all, do you know what you’re doing with that other Berlin? After all the trouble that other Germany caused, are you really so quickly getting yourself involved with another one of theirs?”
Liliane bit her lip. “It’s not like that. I mean, Caro and I have known each other for a while. We’ve been kind of seeing each other for a while too. But we’re not exactly exclusive…”
He frowned. “So, you still have sex with other people? Is that what you’re saying?”
“...Yes. We both do.” She fidgeted, folded her arms, and looked down.
“Look at me when I speak to you, child.”
She looked up.
“I think you’re being stupid in that case,” he said. “Who knows what diseases they may carry over there that we haven’t faced before. And you, quite frankly, are rather sensitive when it comes to matters of the heart. What happens when she decides to become exclusive with someone who isn’t you?”
“I…I don’t know, sir. I suppose I’ll have to face it and move on.”
He huffed. “Well, don’t come crying to me when she breaks your heart, like that buffoon of a Germany she’s under.”
Liliane looked down at the ground. “Yes, sir,” she mumbled.
He studied her for a moment, then sighed. He reached out to hold her chin and lifted it up to look at him. “I only tell you this because you are my daughter. I want to see you make good and proper choices. You’re eighty now. You ought to take on more responsibility.”
“Yes, sir.”
His hand moved up to cup her cheek. His thumb brushed the scar on it that he had given her so long ago. After a quiet pause, he spoke again, this time in a soft, gentle tone. “You’ve grown a lot, since I gave you this. Yet you still have so much more growing to do. So much learning. You’re impulsive, and far too quick to give away your heart to those who will use it for their own gain, and crush you in the process. I hope that you will not have to learn the hard way, my dear.”
She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand without thinking about it. “Thank you, sir. For teaching me and helping me this far.”
He smiled. “What else are fathers for?” He then took his hand off of her and reached inside his suit jacket. He pulled out a black velvet box. “Here,” he said, holding it out to her. “Your present.”
She looked down at the box with some surprise. She took it and looked at him again.
“Go on. Open it.”
She did. Inside was a necklace and earrings set. In the light of the street lamp, she could see diamonds and emeralds shining in the gold they were set in. Her eyes widened in amazement. “Really? For me?” she asked, looking at him.
“Do you see any other daughters of mine I would give this to?”
Her face brightened as a smile spread across it. “Thank you, sir. This is beautiful.” For a split second, she wanted to hug him, but she knew how much he disliked that. “I will always treasure this.”
“Good. It’s good to know you appreciate quality. Now then, I think I shall go home. As I said, I’ve had enough partying for one evening. Come visit me in two days. I have a task for you. But until then, enjoy yourself.”
“I will, sir. Thank you, sir.”
He nodded. Then, he got into his car and drove off. She watched him go until she couldn’t see the taillights anymore. After that, she went back inside to rejoin the party, holding her new treasure close to her chest. Once inside, she went directly to her table and hid the box inside her purse. Then, she looked around the room.
Alex was drunkenly laughing with some of his artist friends in one corner. The Germany from her world was chatting with a circle of politicians and other nations. And when she scanned the room for a tall, tattooed woman in a red dress, she spotted her out on the dance floor, jiving with her hands on the hips of a man whose face was turned away from her.
Lily felt a lump rising in her throat and she turned to walk away. Except when she did, she ran face first into a firm pillar that wasn’t there before. She squeaked and looked up. To her embarrassment, she realized she had just collided with Russia. She looked up at him with pink rising into her cheeks. He, like always, smiled down at her.
“You should be more careful, little bird,” he said softly.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were right there,” she said.
“It’s quite alright. I was hoping I would get to see you before the party was over. And here you are.”
“Here I am,” she said, smiling now. While others often trembled or glared in his presence, she often found it so easy to smile and relax around him. He had always been a safe space for her, ever since she was a child. Even now, with times changing and becoming more turbulent again, she still felt safe with him, though she didn’t get to see him as much anymore.
He seemed to be thinking the same thing, for he said, “I’ve missed having our little get-togethers, you know. Our little tea parties. You don’t visit near as often as you used to.”
“I know. We’ve both been…busy,” she said, trying to find the most diplomatic word for it. “But I’ve missed you too.”
His smile grew. “Perhaps we should arrange for something then. I’ll be in Berlin for a few more days. How does tomorrow sound?”
“That sounds perfect. I would love to have you over for tea. Is two in the afternoon good for you?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Cause it might take me till one to wake up from tonight’s party.”
He chuckled at her joke. “Yes, it might take me until then too. I know you bought good vodka for it.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He nodded. Then, he put his large hand on her shoulder. His smile shrank, though it did not disappear. “I saw you leave with your father for a bit. Is everything fine?”
“What? Oh, yes, everything’s fine. He just didn’t want to stay. You know how he’s particular about music and all. He just wanted to give me my gift before he left.”
Russia nodded. “Oh, very well then. As long as you’re okay…” He let the threat hang in the air. Lily was suddenly acutely aware of the scar on her stomach from where her father had stabbed her not so long ago. Surely, Russia didn’t know about that, right? She hoped.
“Ah!” He suddenly clapped his hands, startling her out of her thoughts. “That reminds me. I have a gift for you too.” He reached into the deep pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a wrapped box. He held it out to her with a look of pride. “Go on, open it.”
She eagerly ripped off the paper and ribbon, discarding them on the table next to them. When she opened the box, she found a leather knife sheath with the Berlin bear design on it. It held a large hand crafted knife with a bone handle that had a roaring bear carved into it. She touched it gently with her finger tips, feeling the smooth bone. Then, she gripped the knife by the handle and pulled it out of the leather, testing the feel and balance of it.
“Oh, it’s perfect,” she said in admiration. “Did you carve the bone yourself?”
“Of course,” he said, his chest swelling with pride. “I hope you find it to be very useful, on all your adventures.”
She sheathed the knife and looked up at him. “Oh I will. I absolutely will.” She set it down nicely on the table and then opened her arms wide. He laughed and scooped her up in his, lifting her off the floor with a tight hug. She pressed her face into his shoulder and closed her eyes, wishing they could stay like this for a while longer.
He seemed to sense her desire, for he did not put her down just yet. “Little bear,” he mumbled, “I can’t believe it’s been eighty years. And look how far you’ve grown. I remember when you were a baby, a mere cub. And now look at you. A fierce she-bear.” He gave her an extra tight squeeze, tight enough to make it hard to breathe. Then with a chuckle, he set her down gently before ruffling her hair.
“I wouldn’t be half as fierce if it weren’t for you,” she said as she fixed her hair into place. “You taught me so much. You helped me stay alive and beat the odds.”
He put a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, don’t discount yourself, little one. I couldn’t have saved you if you gave up. You had to keep fighting to keep yourself alive. And that’s what made you so strong. I’m proud of you.”
She beamed at him, and he at her. She took a step forward and wrapped her arms around him again. He returned the favor. After sharing a quiet minute like this, they broke apart naturally. He kept his hands on her shoulders though. He took a deep breath in through his nose and sighed happily. “You know how to make this old soul happy, little bird.”
“I’m glad I can. Want to go dance? You have amazing moves.”
He glanced at the dance floor, back at her, and grinned. “Help me get a bit more vodka in me, and tell the DJ to play something good. Then I’ll show these donkeys how it’s done.”
“Deal.”
They went over to the bar and downed a few shots of vodka together, then he did a few more on his own. With a buzz in her brain now, she made her way over to the DJ and gave him Ivan’s request. He gave her a thumbs up, and she went back to her old friend.
When the song came on, the Russian stood up and winked at her. Then he sauntered onto the middle of the dance floor, clapping his hands to the beat. Those near him stopped dancing to look and make room. When he had his space, he began his dance. He squatted and kicked with his arms folded. He jumped up like a star. He spun and leapt around and around, landing perfectly and gliding smoothly into the next move. Everyone whooped and cheered.
While Lily was watching from the bar and cheering him on, she felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her from behind. She looked up and back just as Caro’s chin came to rest on her forehead.
“Having fun, birthday girl?” she asked.
Lily grinned. “Of course.”
“Good.” She looked over at the dancing Russian. “He’s got better moves than ours. I can tell you that much.”
“He’s amazing.”
Caro kissed the top of her head. “I haven’t forgotten my promise,” she said, “to go home with you and give you a birthday gift you’ll be thinking about all day.”
A smirk. “Good. I’m holding you to that. It’s not every day I get to turn eighty.”
A/N: This is taking place right after my latest rp with @mephistosfaust. Lily got Ludwig to agree to another meeting with her father. Now, she just has to do the same with her father. Told from Prussia's POV though, as he demands my attention...and may be going through a certain, special, kind of internal growth here. >w< Enjoy!
(Read More is for length only.)
As I sat in my library, enjoying the last equine magazine of the year, I heard a knock upon the door. I did not look up, but simply called out, “Enter.” I assumed it would be Frau Wagner, come to ask for a final detail about my upcoming Christmas dinner.
Frau Wagner did enter, but she was not alone, as I was soon to find out. “Dr. Beilschmidt is here to see you,” said the housekeeper. My eyes rose and, as promised, my daughter was standing behind her, holding a medium white box in front of her. She was smiling at me.
I raised an eyebrow and set my magazine aside on the table next to the couch. “Child, this is unexpected.” I nodded towards my housekeeper. “Thank you. I suppose you may set the table for two tonight.”
The older woman nodded once and then left with a military march in her step. My daughter stepped forward, and her lip curled up more in that awkward way that it would when she was eager yet nervous to see me. I gestured for her to sit next to me, and she eagerly complied.
“To what do I owe this visit?” I asked.
“Papa, I brought you some Pfeffernüsse,” she said, holding out the box to me. As I took it, she added, “I just made them today. I made them as carefully as I could. I know how particular you are about them.”
I opened the box and smelled the warm scent of the spiced cookies. There were just enough in there to satisfy me, without it being overindulgent. I could appreciate how well she understood me. As I set the box aside to be enjoyed later, I turned to her with a small smile gracing my lips. “Thank you, my dear. I’m sure I will enjoy these. Now, you didn’t come here just to give me cookies, I assume. What else is on your mind?”
She didn’t seem surprised that I had known she was here for more, which confirmed my suspicions that she had something important to ask of me. She bit her lower lip and then gave a lopsided smile. Ah, so it was some very big favor she needed then.
“Papa, sir, I have a…a bit of a favor to ask of you. Well, it’s more than a bit of a favor. It’s kind of a big one. I–”
I held up a hand. “Calm down, child. What is it you wish to ask of me? Just state it plainly.”
As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, suspicions in my gut grew. I was not going to enjoy what she had come to ask of me.
She opened her eyes and I could tell she was forcing herself to look at me. Her hands clenched in her lap. “I…I wanted to ask if, well, if you might be open to hosting Ludwig, that is, the Germany from the other world, for lunch on the 26th?” Her voice squeaked at the end and she cleared her throat.
I stared at her. My mouth opened a fraction of an inch for a moment, and then I clenched my jaw tightly. As I narrowed my eyes, her gaze dropped down to her hands, and she could only glance at me every few seconds. She was braced for a blow, but I saw no need for that. Yet.
“Child, do you understand what you are asking of me? Not only are you asking me to host an unpleasant man whom I barely know, you are asking me to host a man who has killed me outside of wartime or conflict. Do you hear yourself, child?”
She looked up at me with pleading eyes. “I know, Papa. I know it sounds terrible. But I was hoping you two could make peace with each other. Not like each other. I know that’s too much to ask for. But at least make peace with each other. Please? I just want this feud between you two to end. I want to visit both of you, or have him visit me, without fear of a fight breaking out.” She paused. She leaned towards me with a renewed eagerness now. “Wouldn’t it be nicer for you too? You wouldn’t have to think about him coming to kill you again. You wouldn’t have to waste resources on having him followed or assassinated. Things could just be peaceful. That’s all I’m asking for.”
I ran a hand down my face with a groan. I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut. “My dear, I was not made for peace. I was made for battle. I–” My voice stopped in my throat as I looked back at her. Her green eyes were wide and wet with pleading and suddenly I was reminded of another woman, looking at me with the same look, begging me not to go back to the front. Truly, the cruelest thing Ilse had done was not to leave me, but to bless our daughter with her eyes.
I used to be angry about it. Every time I had looked into the girl’s eyes, I saw my last wife mocking me from her hideaway in Switzerland. I resented the girl for it. But then, as time passed, it numbed my anger, and turned it into something else. A begrudging acceptance at first, but it has since grown into something more. I became happier when she visited. She had a way of smiling at me that made me long to see it more. It was not only that it reminded me of Ilse, though that was part of it, but that I…wanted to see her happy.
I groaned. I was turning sentimental and soft. It had been too long since I had fought and killed on the battleground. Allowing a little girl to influence me like this was ridiculous. I ought to just put my foot down and say no, and have that be the end of it. I opened my mouth to say it, but stopped as I looked at her again. She was still staring up at me, but she had moved closer now. I couldn’t escape her pleading look without turning away completely. As I stared at her, the sternness melted away to be replaced with a desire to see her smile.
My expression softened. I wouldn't say I smiled. But I did relent. I reached out with one hand to hold her face, my thumb brushing the scar on her cheek. “Very well,” I murmured, “I will host you and Ludwig for lunch. And I will make this promise to you. If, if, he makes a genuine attempt at peace, I will accept it. So long as he does not antagonize me or try to harm me again, I will make peace with him. But, if he insults me or attempts harm upon me, I will throw him out and that will be the end of it. Understood?”
Her smile had grown as I had spoken, and now she nodded. “Oh, yes, Papa, I understand. Thank you so much. I know this isn't easy, so thank you for being open to it.”
I grunted and turned to pick up my magazine. “Well you're welcome, I suppose. I have my doubts about all this. But if it does work out, then, as you said, things will be better.”
As I was looking at the magazine, I felt her slip her arms around me and squeeze. I looked down to see her resting her head on my shoulder and getting into a comfortable position. I smiled to myself for a second, then rested my hand on her shoulder.
When she was settled, she spoke again. “He did have two requests for it.”
“Oh? And what might those be?” I asked, a bit of annoyance creeping into my tone.
“He asked that it only be the three of us, that is, you, him, and myself. And he asked that we not serve Rouladen.”
I raised my eyebrows and half rolled my eyes. “Well if that’s all, then I can arrange for that. I wasn’t planning on inviting anyone else either. As far as the food goes…I suppose he won’t object to some pheasant, will he?”
“I don’t think he would.”
“Good.”
“Papa? I…I have a small request as well,” she said, her voice going softer. As I stared down at her, she looked up at me with a worried expression. “He, um, he doesn’t know yet that I slept with his brother. I’d like to keep it that way. Please, will you not mention that to him?”
I blinked, then huffed, and then gently pulled her bangs away from her face and tucked them behind her ear. “Quite frankly, my dear, I still think you were foolish for ever doing that in the first place. But, as I have no desire for a vulgar or angry conversation with him, then, yes, I will avoid mentioning it. More for all our sakes than just for yours.”
She smiled a bit. “Yes, I understand. Thank you.”
“Hmm. Now then, since you’ve gone and made so many requests of me, I have one for you.” She looked at me expectantly, and I continued. “I want you to bring your violin to this. Perhaps, I will have you play for us. I think that a fitting start to your repayment for all this.”
She nodded. “Yes, of course. I will do that.”
“Good.” I sighed and looked back at the magazine. “Are there any other requests I should be aware of?”
Her lips twitched up and she opened her mouth, as though about to crack some kind of joke. At my stern look, however, she quickly shut her mouth and looked down. “Er, no. No, sir, none that I can think of.”
“Good. In that case, you are free to go about the house as you wish. Dinner will be at the usual time.”
Instead of letting go of me, however, or even sitting up, she squeezed me and shook her head. “If it’s alright, Papa, I would rather just stay here with you.”
I stared at the air in front of me. For a moment, it felt as though my chest was squeezing itself. I looked down to see her smiling warmly at me. My expression softened into a small smile of my own. I wrapped one arm around her and placed my hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
“Yes, of course you may,” I murmured. Then, I cleared my throat and picked up my magazine with my free hand, opening it on my lap. As I did, she closed her eyes and rested more against me.
“Thank you, Papa, for everything you do. I love you.”
I stopped midway in turning a page. I had to blink a few times. I looked back down at her, but her eyes were still closed. I didn’t make any sound or gesture that could be confused for me returning the sentiment. But, in my mind, I allowed myself to think it.
A/N: Yeah, this is a little late for the Christmas market season, but it's set during that time, and shortly after the events with my last rp with @mephistosfaust in which her Prussia and Lily do the devil's tango together. Read more is for length.
As I stepped outside of my car, I breathed in the cold December air. A smile touched my lips as I looked around at the little Brandenburg town we had come to. I turned to Lilianne as she let Marie out of the back seat and attached her leash. “This market is much nicer than the commercialized circus back in the city,” I said. “Here, we’ll find authentic craftsmanship.”
Her mouth formed a slight pouting look, and I raised an eyebrow at her. She swiftly corrected her expression.
“Do you disagree, child?”
“No, Papa, it’s not that. I just…I like my markets too, that’s all. I have to have a sense of pride in them. It’s my job. But I’m happy to be here with you today.”
I gave a single nod of agreement and then led her and my dog into the marketplace. Warm smells greeted us as we walked between the stalls. I scanned the area for the better stalls. When I saw one selling high quality pens and other writing tools, I went to it. I bent over to get a closer look.
“You look like a man of taste,” said the seller. “Anything catching your eye?”
I did not smile. Flattery would not tempt me into buying an overpriced pen, even if it did have a fine nib and a cherry wood finish. I stood up straight and looked at him. I shook my head and turned away. The seller tried to call me back with promises of other merchandise, but I was already walking away. Lilianne walked beside me.
“I thought you would have liked that pen, Papa,” she said. “Why not buy it for yourself?”
“Discipline, child. You cannot indulge every whim you have. It’s not healthy. Do you understand?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good. Now, I suppose you must have a list of people you’re searching for gifts for, yes?”
“I do.”
“Then let us search.”
We strolled through the market, and I allowed her to choose where to go. She bought two leather men’s wallets, some fancy cheeses, two bottles of wine, and a bright pink purse. She also lingered at a knife stall for some time, but ultimately sighed and walked away empty handed.
“Are you hungry now,” I asked.
“Yes, Papa. Do you want to stop for lunch?”
I nodded, then led us towards a line for a food stall. As we stood waiting, I gestured towards the bag she had put everything in. “So I presume the gaudy purse is for your degenerate brother, yes?”
She blinked and pursed her mouth, but ultimately decided to only nod in response.
“And the cheese and wine is for your aunt?”
“Yes.”
“To whom are the wallets going then?”
“Oh…ah…” She blinked and looked away. “Just some friends,” she finally mumbled after a pause.
My eyes narrowed. She was never good at hiding lies from me, which I was glad of. But it was insulting that she would try all the same.
“Lilianne,” I said in a stern voice, “what are you not telling me?”
She tensed and glanced up at me. I was reminded of when she was a small child, not even ten at the time, and yet had participated in a treacherous uprising. Was she betraying me again?
“They’re for Ludwig,” she whispered.
“And, you’re giving him two wallets?” I asked, my voice becoming quieter.
“N-no.”
“Then to whom is the other one going?”
She swallowed and stared at her feet. I waited for her to respond, though my patience was growing thin.
“I thought I might…give it to Gilbert?” she mumbled.
I blinked. I was confused, I will admit, as to whom she meant. Who could this Gilbert be, and why was she so scared for me to know? Was he some new boyfriend? But I hadn’t heard of her dating someone new yet. Or, could she mean…
I glared at her. If we were not in public, I would have forced her chin up to look at me. “Child, do you mean to tell me you are giving a gift to that…unfortunate doppelgänger of mine? The one I…disposed of only a short time ago?” I asked in a furious whisper.
She looked at me and nodded.
My hand twitched. “Why?”
“W-well we met up one night and we got to talking and…and he’s not really as bad as he came across that day, I think,” she whispered.
“Is that so?”
She nodded. But she still had the look of a guilty child across her face, so I leaned in closer.
“And what else are you not telling me?”
Her eyes widened. She tried to hold my gaze, but failed, ultimately looking down at her feet again.
“Lilianne.”
But she still wouldn’t answer. She only shook her head.
I glanced around. Some people were staring at us. I took her by the arm then and pulled her out of the line. We marched to a secluded alley behind the stalls. With no one around to look at us now, I gripped her chin and made her look at me.
“What are you not telling me,” I said, a growl entering my voice.
I could feel her swallow. “Papa, please don’t hate me,” she said as tears started to creep into her eyes. I stared her down until, finally, she confessed. “We had sex together,” she squeaked.
I stared at her, but without looking at her. My hand twitched again and I brought it up. She flinched, but instead of disciplining her, I merely smoothed one side of my hair. I took a deep breath in through my nose and let it out through my mouth. I let go of her chin.
“I need to walk. Do not follow me. Stay with Marie.” I gave her the orders and then left. I could feel her staring at my back and longing to come to me, but she knew better.
The Christmas stalls held little charm for me now as I passed through them. My grip on the head of my cane tightened. How could she have done such a thing? After I had killed that bastard for touching her, she went and not only became friendly with him, but slept with him too? Did she do that all in one night? How easy could she be? Oh, he might be Prussian, but that git was far from charming. She had seen that first hand. Hell, she had been the one to tell me that he was a boastful idiot with no redeeming qualities. Why had she suddenly switched and slept with him?
As I reached the far end of the market, I stopped in my tracks. Perhaps I was thinking about this the wrong way. She couldn’t have meant to betray me in some form. If she had, why would she be buying him a present so openly in front of me? She was smarter than that. Could it be she was using her feminine wiles on him to further some agenda of her own? Perhaps. But then, why was she so scared to tell me? So, she had been willing to show her interest in him to some extent, but was scared to tell me the whole picture.
I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. Was it something to do with him as Prussia? Was this to grab my attention? I opened my eyes and slowly turned back in the direction I had come from. Yes, this made sense now. She had wanted me to know, but was afraid to say it plainly. She didn’t want me to discipline her, but she wanted my attention all the same. This was, in essence, some kind of childish cry for her father’s attention. I sighed, then almost smiled. If that was all this was, then what she needed was the guidance only I could give.
I found her waiting with Marie where I had left them. The Schnauzer wagged her cropped tail and walked towards me as I approached, but I ignored her for now. I stopped and stood directly in front of my daughter, who looked up at me in fear. My hand rose, and I could see in her eyes that she expected a slap. But instead, I placed it on her shoulder and squeezed.
“Papa,” she started to say, but I interrupted her.
“No. Do not say anything. I understand now, my child. I see what you were searching for in this. And perhaps I have…neglected to give you what you need from me. Clearly, this was a cry for attention, was it not?”
“I…”
“It all makes sense now. Why else would you sleep with a man I had just killed, if not to get my attention on you?” I sighed. “I forgive you, my child, for I see that you did it in hurt, not in malice.”
She nodded silently. Then, she slipped her arms around me and hugged me tightly, laying her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Papa.”
I stared at the top of her blonde hair. A soft huff escaped my mouth as I smiled and wrapped my arms around her. I stroked the back of her hair. “I have one question for you then,” I said. When she looked up, I continued, “Are you dating him? Or did you merely sleep with him?”
Her brow creased and she bit her lip. “I don’t know. The latter, I suppose. He wasn’t there in the morning when I woke up. He just left a note to tell me when to leave and…I haven’t seen or heard from him since.”
“Hmm. I see. I suppose I would expect no less from him. All the same, if that should change, I want to know immediately. Am I understood?”
She nodded with her face against my shoulder.
“Good.” I cleared my throat and pushed her back so we were no longer hugging. I held her by her arms for a moment, then reached into my pocket to pull out a small box. “Here. I saw you eyeing this earlier.”
She took the box carefully and opened it. Her face brightened when she saw the sheen of the knife’s steel inside. “Oh, Papa, it’s lovely. Thank you.”
Before I could stop her, she was hugging me again. I grunted, patted her back, and then pushed her away gently. “Well, I am glad you appreciate it. Now, put it in your bag. Let us go get lunch.”
With a nod, she slipped the knife and box into her bag and then linked her arms with mine. I glanced down at the connection, but said nothing. As we walked, my thoughts drifted towards that other Prussia. I couldn’t be sure what he was planning, if anything at all, but I would not let him steal her away from me. Of that, I was certain.
I said, I dare you. So here we go, an alternative dream scene to your story 'The Old Stag':
Prussia awoke within the hush of a dimly lit room, heavy with shadows and the faint scent of old wood and lavender. The bed beneath him creaked with age, ornate in the style of the early 1900s, its heavy wooden frame a reminder of order and stability that had long since slipped through the cracks of time. The air felt dense, like breath held too long. Beside him, a woman lay turned away, her silhouette quiet, the sheet riding the soft curve of her spine. Her breathing was steady, rhythmic. Peaceful.
He didn’t move at first. Just watched her back rise and fall with each breath. Then, slowly, as if afraid to break something fragile, he leaned in and reached for her blonde hair, letting his fingers glide through the strands with gentle reverence. She sighed in her sleep but didn’t stir. Emboldened, he pressed closer, his chest brushing against her shoulder blades as he dipped to kiss her neck. She hummed softly at the contact.
His hand slipped beneath the blanket, ghosting up her thigh, over the curve of her belly to cup the warmth of her breast. She chuckled—low, pleased—and nestled into his touch without opening her eyes. Prussia whispered into her skin, murmuring how perfect she was, how much he loved her, how he’d never let her go again. His words came from a place deep in his chest, echoing with sincerity he couldn’t quite place, and perhaps didn’t need to.
He fumbled with his waistband, heart pounding now—not from lust alone, but anticipation, hunger, something raw and unchecked.
Then laughter.
Not hers. But a jagged, too-familiar sound cracking through the quiet, cruel and crooked at the edges like glass splintering under weight. The Prussia froze. His head snapped toward the shadows at the foot of the bed.
Nothing.
He blinked. And when he opened his eyes again, Gilbert lay there at ease, head propped on one arm, crimson eyes aglow with amusement. That smile. That damned, impossible smile. A wolf in the fold.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Gilbert said, voice soft and poisonous. “Just lean into it. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
Panic rose, his heart making a jump. “No,” he breathed, almost a prayer.
The woman beside him shifted, rolling to her back. Her hand reached up to touch his face. Slow. Familiar. Her eyes opened. She looked at him, her deep green, glowing faintly in the dark. Beautiful. But wrong.
So very wrong.
Prussia recoiled. “No—no, no, no—” he stammered, voice hoarse. He looked to Gilbert, but the other man only laughed harder, cackling like a demon who’d seen straight through his soul.
He jolted awake.
Sweat soaked his shirt. His pulse beating in his ears.
Prussia was in the tent again. The bedroll beneath him hard and real. The scent of damp earth in his nose. The dream had shattered, but fragments still clung to him.
Beside him, Liliane stirred, rubbing her eyes, blinking like a child pulled from sleep by the echo of a scream. She looked up at him with quiet concern.
“Are you alright, Papa?” she asked softly.
He nodded, barely able to speak. “Just… need some air.”
He crawled out of the tent, his knees sinking slightly into the cold ground. Night surrounded him, vast and oppressive. He took a deep breath. Another. And then—movement, just at the edge of the trees.
Gilbert was gone. And yet, the echo of his laughter lingered, mocking, just beyond reach.
A/N: This takes place shortly after Lily's 80th birthday. Maybe today? Anyway, this Ludwig belongs to @mephistosfaust. Read more is for length only.
It was a hot, sunny day with a slight breeze. Perfect, by my standards, particularly since I was getting off work early. It paid to be efficient all week in order to get an early start to the weekend. I walked up to my motorcycle parked outside the building. It would be a great day to take it out of the city, but I wasn’t sure where. Some place with a nice lake, perhaps? That way, I could cool off and enjoy a lovely sunset. It would be the perfect start to a weekend.
As I was thinking about this and getting on my bike, I could hear another biker drive up and park behind me. He revved his engine loudly, disturbing passersby. I turned around with a glare and flipped him off. “Asshole!” Geeze, I was going to move in a minute anyway. Couldn’t this bastard wait?
He put his kickstand down and sat up. He took off his helmet and, to my surprise, Ludwig was grinning back at me. “Oh come on. Is that any way to greet the boss who let you leave early?”
I huffed, rolled my eyes, and then smiled. “Fancy seeing you here in leather and on a bike.” I looked at his ride more carefully and raised an eyebrow as my smile widened. “And quite the bike it is too,” I said, adding a whistle at the end. He looked smug about it, but I didn’t mind. “So, surely you didn’t just swing by to show that off for a moment. What’s up?”
“I thought you might like to go on a short tour. Maybe down to Müggelsee? If you think you can keep up, that is.”
I scoffed at him. “Me? ‘Keep up?’ It’s you who’ll have to do the keeping up, sir. You’re going to be begging me and my bad boy here to slow down,” I said, giving my motorcycle a few pats.
He raised an eyebrow at me. I said nothing, but flipped my hair back and put on my helmet. I turned on the engine and revved it up. I gave him an “Okay” sign, then pulled into the street and took off. I could see in my side mirrors that he was right behind me. Weaving in and out of traffic effortlessly, I led us to the Autobahn that would take us part of the way there. He stayed right on my tail the whole time. I found myself just a little impressed. But, we would see who ruled the streets when we hit the freeway.
As soon as we entered a speed limit free zone, I took off like a bullet. I’d always loved speed. Always had a need for it. It felt natural to fly past everyone as though they were standing still. But I wasn’t the only one. My companion was closing the distance between us. I could see his approach in my mirrors. In another minute, he would be beside me. Thirty seconds. Twenty. Ten.
He was next to me. He was inching forward beside me. And now, he was just ahead of me. I tried to push my bike to give more power, but it couldn’t. Ludwig was pulling ahead, and my bike just couldn’t keep up.
Then, we spotted the exit. We synchronously changed lanes smoothly to get over to it and off the Autobahn. He got there first. I was behind him now as we slowed down on the smaller highway. With no safe (and legal) chance of passing him, I had to settle into second place. But at least I wouldn’t lose sight of him now.
We zipped along as the scenery changed. Fewer buildings, more trees. Even while sitting on a moving motorcycle with a helmet on, it brought a feeling of peace. I could just see the lake in the distance, and remembered the smell of it already. The closer we approached, the lovelier it became.
Finally, we turned off onto a smaller, slower street that took us up to the shore. We found a place to park and did so. As I stepped off and took my helmet off, I could feel his smug grin beside me.
“What was that about me, ‘begging you to slow down?’” he asked with a chuckle.
“Oh shut up, Herr Moneybags,” I said, knowing that I was red in the face right now and couldn’t get rid of it. His subsequent laugh did not help the matter.
I just huffed and tucked my helmet under my arm and unzipped my leather jacket. “So, what now?”
He nodded in a direction behind me. “We’ll stroll down there and get dinner at the kiosk and eat at a table.”
“Sure. But you’re paying.” I thought I saw him smile before I turned around.
We walked casually now, enjoying the scenery and the scent of the lake. Neither of us was in a race this time. It was time to slow down. We picked out a table and I sat down with our helmets while he went to purchase our food. He came back with a few beers and two plates, from which I could smell the familiar spicy-sweet scent of one of my favorite dishes. I grinned as he sat down, already envisioning that tasty red sauce over a sausage and fries. We both cracked open our first bottles of beer on the table.
“Prost,” I said, raising mine. He met my eyes and raised his to mine, clinking them.
“Prost. And here’s to 80 years of you.”
I admit I looked a little surprised before I laughed. “Ah, is that what this is for? I love it. Best birthday gift ever. Although, shouldn’t you have let me win then?”
“Would you have actually wanted that?” he asked as he speared his first bite of sausage with his fork.
There was a brief pause as I thought about his question. Then, I shook my head. “Nah, not really.” He smiled and nodded.
We had a few moments of quiet ease as we ate. Then, he asked, “So, how was your party?” I felt like there was a lingering question there, one that he wanted to ask, but wouldn’t breathe out loud, lest the subject of his inquiry should suddenly manifest before us.
“It was fine, nice even. I enjoyed myself. Everyone was civil and polite and I think we just really had a good evening. The food and drinks were good. But, well, what else would you expect from a high end place like that.” He nodded, but I could sense there was a slight bit of guilt behind it. I grinned at him and nudged his foot underneath the table. “Hey. This is nice too. This is me. I mean, that party was me too, but I’d say this is more me. I’m enjoying this.”
He grunted, smiled, nodded, and then drank a few gulps of beer. We both turned our attention to the water near us. As we ate and drank, we quietly watched the boats go past, and swimmers pass by the shore. Ducks and geese dipped in and out of the water, and sometimes a fish splashed up to catch a bug. The late afternoon sun inched its way down, making the water sparkle. Neither of us had to say anything. We simply enjoyed our presence together at the lake.
As the beers dwindled down, our ears caught the sounds of a ruckus brewing. We weren’t the only ones. Other people turned to look towards the lake as a loud group of three young men in swimming trunks and sandals rounded a corner on the trail. They were whooping and hollering and singing, if you could call that cacophony that, and making their way towards our area.
“College kids,” muttered Ludwig.
“Drunk, American college kids,” I said, as the wind blew towards us and I could catch a whiff of their vodka and the sounds of their accents. I turned back to Ludwig and rolled my eyes. “Want to go somewhere quieter?” He nodded and we started to clean up our area.
As we stood up, the boys reached us, and the one in the lead stopped by me. He was wearing sunglasses, but I could tell (like I can always tell) that he was checking me out. “Woah!” He put his hands out to stop his buddies from walking further. Then, he whistled at me. “Hey, gorgeous. How much for a night?”
I rolled my eyes hard and walked past to put my trash in the right bins, alongside Ludwig. But the boys followed.
“Hey, don’t go. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?”
I flipped them off.
They laughed. “Woah-ho-ho! Hey, come on Schatz,” said one of the followers, “It’ll be great. We’ll pay double if you do it with all three of us at once.”
I opened my mouth to tell them exactly where they could shove their three dicks, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. “She’s not interested in the pathetic three inches you collectively share,” said Ludwig. “So kindly fuck off.”
“Woah, buddy!” said the leader, putting his hands up in the air as though he were about to be arrested. “I didn’t ask you. Why don’t you let the chick speak for herself?”
“Fuck off and drown in a ditch,” I said.
“Woah, okay, fucking Nazi chick,” he said.
My eyes widened and I made a move forward. But Ludwig was faster. Before the boys had time to react, his fist came swinging hard. I could hear the crack of both the sunglasses and the young man’s nose underneath.
The kid stumbled back and fell to the dirt. He whipped off his shattered glasses and brought a hand to his nose. When he pulled it away to see the blood on it, he blinked and then glared. “Dude, what the hell?! It was a fucking joke!”
“We don’t joke about that here. Get out!”
The boy stumbled to his feet. He looked at his friends on either side. “Well don’t just stand there. Get him!”
The two drunks stumbled forward and raised their fists to punch Ludwig. But he was faster. Or, at least less drunk. He punched one hard in the gut, just around his liver. I winced, but grinned. That one wasn’t getting back up again too soon. The other one landed a punch on Ludwig’s ear. I heard him hiss. I instinctively wanted to move in to fight, but a glance from Ludwig told me to stay back, so I listened. He wanted this fight to himself right now. I could respect that.
The young man who had punched him pulled his hand back to give another blow, but this time, Ludwig was ready. He punched first, getting him in the throat. His eyes went wide as the midday sun, and he fell down, gasping for breath. He was out too.
The leading jokester was still left, but not looking thrilled at the thought of fighting Ludwig on his own. He still held his bleeding nose in one hand. He backed up quickly the second Ludwig took a step towards him. “J-j-just forget it, man! We’re out of here!” He backed up more and muttered, “Jesus, fucking Nazis, can’t take a joke.”
Ludwig made a lunge for him, but I grabbed his arm as fast as I could. “Ludwig!” He looked back at me, pulling his arm away as he did. But I pointed at the people around us who had pulled out their phones to record the incident. “Let’s just leave, alright? They’re done here, and so are we.”
He looked around, realized what was happening, and nodded. “Right. Let’s go.”
We turned and left, heading towards our motorcycles. As I got on mine, I looked at him and smiled. “Meet you back at your place then?”
He frowned, seemed to think about it, and then nodded. “Yeah. Meet you back at my place.” Then he quickly put his helmet on, turned on his bike and took off, leaving me little time to catch up. I frowned to myself and took off after him as fast as I could.
I managed to keep him in my sight all the way back to his house, but I had a gnawing feeling that made the ride not quite as fun as it would have been. When we reached his place and parked on the street, he lingered on his bike. I got off mine and pulled my helmet off as I walked up to him. He pulled off his helmet.
“Hey,” I said, “What’s happening? What’s wrong?”
He stared at me. Then, he jerked his head towards the door. “Let’s go inside.”
I sighed, but nodded. “Alright.” I followed him in.
As we entered the living room, he gestured to the couch. “Feel free to take a seat. I’m getting some whiskey. Want any?”
“Sure,” I said as I sat down. He went into his kitchen, and I was left to gaze around his expensive looking home. It was more than I was willing to afford anyway.
Ludwig returned shortly, two glasses in hand, and Frieda following him. He gave one to me and sat down on the couch with a groan. With one hand, he lifted up his little dachshund so she could sit next to him while he rubbed her ears. He was quiet as he sipped his whiskey.
I sipped mine and stared at him. When it seemed like he wasn’t going to say something, I decided to speak up. “I had fun today. Thank you.”
He grunted what sounded like a, “You’re welcome.”
I stared more, then looked down at the drink. I half considered gulping the whole thing, but decided against it, for now. “You know they deserved it,” I said finally. “They’re old enough to know that’s shit behavior. Someone was bound to give it to them some day. Hopefully they learned their lesson.”
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Lily…”
“And you’re not a Nazi,” I continued.
“That’s not what’s bothering me.”
“Then what is it?” When he didn’t answer, I pressed on. “Ludwig, you can tell me. I care about you. What’s going on?”
He sighed hard, stared at his drink, and then gulped it down. He closed his eyes for a moment. When I was about to give up on getting an answer from him, he opened them again and looked at me. I could see he was hurting, but trying to not show it so plainly. “I lost my temper. Again. I lost it around you and picked a fight. I’m not supposed to, and yet…” He glanced at my stomach. It was quick, practically a blink. But I knew what he was thinking, what he was remembering.
I looked away as I set my drink on the side table near me. I could feel him looking at me though, so I looked back at him. “Ludwig,” I said in a calm, almost measured tone, “What you did was stand up for a friend. Could I have taken on those assholes myself? Absolutely. But having a friend stand up for me? That means more. I get it. You’re making efforts to not be what the world wants to see you as still. And that’s good. But sometimes you have to get dirty to do what’s right in this world. I know the world is going to twist this, like they do everything. But you and I know the truth, which is that you’re not a brute, not a Nazi, but a good friend. And that’s what matters.”
He didn’t answer. He just stared at me. I tried to stare back, but eventually, I looked away. “Well, I guess if you want me to leave,” I said, and started to get up. I was stopped when he put a hand on my knee.
“No, you can stay.” He sighed and leaned back into the couch. He put his arm nearest to me across the top of it. I leaned back into it and looked at him. He was staring up at the ceiling. I turned and looked up at it too, as though it might reveal some great truth that would help him feel better.
We were silent for a while. It wasn’t a great silence, but it wasn’t oppressive either. It simply was. I wondered several times if I should say something more, but then decided against it. It was his call now, whether to talk about this more or not.
“Were we in your world?”
I blinked, disturbed from my thoughts. It took a few seconds for the question to register. “Were we…oh, no, we were in yours.”
“I see. So, the common denominator is either you, or me.”
I looked worried, and I felt afraid. Was he about to ask me to leave and never come back? He looked at me suddenly, and raised an eyebrow. “What? Why do you look so concerned?”
“Ludwig, if you’re thinking that…I don’t want to lose this. I don’t want to lose what we have.”
He blinked. He stared. And then, he smiled. “Lily, I’m not about to tell you to leave. I told you before, I’m not leaving you. And I meant that.”
“Oh. Right. That’s good. But then, why…?”
“Well, I’m just wondering what to tell my therapist when she asks about this. Those videos are bound to go viral. She’ll want to know.”
I smiled. And then I laughed in relief. Then, I looked at him with a “stern” face. “Don’t ever fucking scare me like that again.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Careful. You go around giving orders like that, and people will think you’re commie dictator.”
“Me? A commie dictator? Wherever did you get that idea? Besides, how can they say that when I have a Besserwessi for a friend?”
“I’ve gotten better about that,” he mumbled.
I nudged him in the side. “That fancy, top model bike outside begs to differ.”
“And yet, here I am, letting a Jammerossi sit on my couch and poke fun at me while she prods my side.”
“It’s for your own good.”
“Right. But if I said that to you…”
“You’d be a horrible Besserwessi, yes. That’s just the way things are.”
“That hardly seems fair.”
I shrugged. “Whelp. Tough luck.”
He shook his head, but he smiled. And I was glad for it.
After another moment of quiet (this time, thankfully, not so awkward), I asked, “So, what are you going to tell your America when he asks about this?”
Ludwig grinned. “I’m going to tell him to recycle his trash better so it doesn’t wind up in my bin.”
